Viewpoint: Commemorating the Olympics to remember
Once again, the Olympics have come and gone, and fanatics like myself will have to wait for another two excruciating years until the next Olympiad -- but we can hold on to extraordinary memories.
With performances by George Michael, the Spice Girls, One Direction, Russell Brand, Muse, Queen and more, London's closing ceremony yesterday concluded 17 days of unforgettable moments, from new world records to NBC drama.
“These were happy and glorious games,” said International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.
Despite the many undoubtedly remarkable moments, there are a few from two of my favorite Olympic sports, swimming and gymnastics, that I will always remember.
Swimming
The swimmers: It's impossible to target just one standout swimmer, as many of them made history and caught the media's attention.
For 15-year-old Katie Ledecky, not only did she win gold in the 800-meter freestyle, but she also broke Janet Evans' 23-year-old U.S. record and “came within half a second of breaking the world record,” according to USA TODAY. Did I mention Ledecky is only 15 years old?
Another young swimmer (and total Justin Bieber fan) Missy Franklin, 17, also won gold medals and even broke world records. Equally, if not more, respectable is the fact that “Franklin rejected substantial endorsement deals and monetary bonuses from USA Swimming and the United States Olympic Committee,” despite her gold medals, to maintain amateur status and swim in college.
She is incredibly charming, cool and collected during interviews, and it's clear she loves her family and friends (she stuck with the coach she has had since she was seven instead of moving to California to focus on full-time Olympic training). Talk about innate talents.
Then there's Olympic legend Michael Phelps, 27, who now has 18 gold, two silver and two bronze medals for a total of 22 Olympic medals, making Phelps the most-decorated Olympian in history. Of course, I can't mention Phelps without also mentioning rival Ryan Lochte, 28 -- who, despite winning five medals and being a fan favorite for his good looks, now has his own meme for being terrible at interviews.
Gymnastics
The Fab Five: I don't even know where to begin. The U.S. gymnastics team, composed of Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber, has created many highlights, some serious and others just plain hilarious.
On the more serious side, nicknamed the Flying Squirrel, 16-year-old Gabby Douglas became the first African-American woman to win gold in the individual all-around.
In a both important and amusing moment, 16-year-old McKayla Maroney shocked viewers and even literally dropped one judge's jaw with her near-perfect vault in team competition. So when she ended up with a silver in the women's vault final, the hilarious “McKayla Is Not Impressed” meme was born.
Although Aly Raisman, who is the oldest member on the team at 18, is the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold for her floor routine, she has her parents to thank for this next Olympic highlight. Lynn and Rick Raisman cheered for their daughter in a comically awkward fashion during her uneven bar routine which, of course, went viral.
Other highlights
• 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming team's Call Me Maybe video. Subsequently, the U.S. Soccer team's Party in the USA video, which, according to NBC, inspired a host of interesting Twitter accounts, including Abby Wambach's Head (@WambachsHead) and Rapinose Hair (@RapinoesHair).
• Every teen girl's obsession with British Olympic diver Tom Daley.
• Six-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix and training partner Jeneba Tarmoh finishing “in a dead heat for the USA's final spot in the 100 meters,” according to USA TODAY.
• The women athletes! Seven of the top 10 mentioned moments on Facebook in the Olympics' second week were female-related, said Ryan Seacrest during his “Social Download” special on Thursday night's NBC Olympic coverage. “There's actually a very significant milestone here in London,” said Seacrest. “For the first time in the history of the Olympics, every participating nation has at least one female athlete, and that's resonating socially.”
• South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, also known as The Blade Runner, being the first double-amputee to compete with abled-body athletes.
• Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and his signature pose.
• Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang's inspiring finish.
What are your favorite 2012 Olympic moments?
Check out the buzz before, during and after the Olympic Closing Ceremony:
[View the story "2012 London Olympic Closing Ceremony" on Storify]
Sonia Su is a Summer 2012 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about her here. Follow her on Twitter at @SoniaSu_
This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.